I followed with joy and emotion the closing of the diocesan phase relating to the cause of canonization of Chiara Corbellaa shining example of a woman and mother who is a witness to truth and love: every child is always a child from the moment he is conceived and even if, during pregnancy, it is discovered that he is ill. And love becomes deeper, purer, more intense. A child is a child to be loved immensely, even when his life clashes with the mother’s illness. And love regenerates even more deeply, purer, more intense.
The first two pregnancies
Chiara reaches the pinnacle of female heroism. Twice doctors have diagnosed the children Chiara was cradling in her womb, malformations incompatible with life and have persistently suggested abortion. But Chiara, together with her husband Enrico, has resisted the pressure saying that a mother stays close to her son especially when he is sick. So they were born first Maria Grazia Letiziasurvived for half an hour after giving birth, and then David Giovanni who had the same destiny of happiness, because both were baptized and immediately entered into communion with Godin His Infinite Love.
A death that speaks of Life
The third child arrives shortly after, Francescohealthy, but this time during Chiara’s pregnancy a tumor develops, the treatment of which would have harmed Francesco. And here is another advance of love: Chiara says yes to her baby, she wants to preserve his life and health and postpones her treatment until after the birth. She will fly to Heaven at 28, when Francesco is about a year old. A death that spoke of Life and the beauty of full Life. As her husband said, Chiara, even at the height of her trial, now close to earthly death, «she revealed a characteristic of God, which we often don’t think about: God is a happy God. And another characteristic that thanks to Chiara we can glimpse of God is that God is not only happy, but he is also a sweet God».
Female heroism
Chiara truly reached the pinnacle of female heroism, which is still demonstrated today in many extreme cases by women remembered in the media not with short obituaries, but with articles full of admiring emotion. Mothers who put the life of the child they were carrying before their own well-being, and even their own life.. Together with Chiara Corbella we want to honor the women whose names we know by writing them after that of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla: Maria Cristina Cella Mocellin, Stefania From Cer, Tonia Accardo, Antonia Chiarantoni, Roberta Magnani, Rita Fedrizzi, Paola Breda, Mariantonietta Perretta, Anna Negri, Wanda Neglia, Luisella Longoni, Tommasella Manferrari, Lorena Polita, Palmyra Life, Rossana Portaro, Felicita Merati Barzaghi, Carla Levati Ardenghi, Rosy Annigoni, Elena Furlan, Angela Currulli, Caterina Morelli, Azzurra Carnelos.
Admiration
The heroism for these women was motivated by the recognize a human being in the conceived and the admiration for them must be emphasized. If the conceived were only a “clump of cells” as those who claim the recognition of a right to abortion say, these women should be considered crazy and not exemplary. Admiration is therefore the proof of a general recognition of the conceived as one of us and of maternal heroism as a sign of love placed on the beginning of human life.
Transcendent dimension
Meditating on Chiara Corbella’s story, a reflection of my father came to mind, which fits perfectly with Chiara’s life. It dates back to 1990: «I am becoming more and more convinced that the fight for the right to life will not be won by politicians or organizers or philosophers. It will be won by the Saints. Because if what we say is true, then the struggle for man’s life is between powers that surpass us. It has transcendent dimensions. The enemy of God’s glory is the enemy of human life. How can we overcome it with human forces?“. Here, Chiara allowed the grace received in Baptism to bear fruit in a journey of holiness, he let everything in his life be open to God and made life win.
Renewal engine
The canonization of Chiara Corbella Petrillo will certainly save many children, because her example will reawaken the innate courage of many mothers with unwanted pregnancies or with some difficulties. Other causes for canonization are underway regarding personalities who can have a beneficial influence on society. Think about it Jerome Lejeunethe scientist who can be an example for doctors and researchers; George the Pira, whose firm position regarding law 194 which legalized abortion in Italy should stimulate the courage of politicians; to Chiara Lubich, whose pressing invitation to unity must coagulate the collaboration of all associations and movements of Christian inspiration in promoting recognition of the value of nascent life; to Don Oreste Benziwhose firm commitment against abortion has stimulated the formation of an association welcoming all the marginalized. Together with the extraordinary example of Chiara, their example teaches us that the defense of the life of conceived children is truly the engine of a new general renewal.
